Improvement in plows



G. H. MOORE.

- Plow Moldboard Patented Jan. 1; 1861.

W-PETERS, PHDTO-UTHDGHAPIIEH, WASHINGTON, D c.

' I UNIT STATES lPAT-ENT OFFICE.

GILBERT 11. MOORE, or nocnnsrnannw YORK.

IM PROVE M ENTf|N P'Lows.

Specification forming part of Letters Patdnt No. 3 L028, dated January1, 1861.

To' all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, GILBERT H. MOORE, of the city of Rochester, countyof Monroe, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Plow; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same,

reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, the same letters in this specification referring to thelike parts.

For the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the right lateralview, or the'moldv board'.of the plow; H P, the transit-line; I Knearest P, the share; I K I K, lines at right angles with the landsideand with the furrowvotedthe highest mechanical skill for along period oftime, and they are in that condition when slight changes are greatimprovements.-

To improvements of this character mechanical skill should now applyitself, as such changes are demanded by the agricultural community, andthe test of the value of which is demonstrated by the action of plowsthus improved. Thus the improvement invented by me, when measured in itscurves by the length of their radii or the extent of their axes, or whencompared with plows of the same character, may appear slight, yet itwill be found in practical operation to be exactly the change which wasrequired to obtain further excellence. Those accustomed to examineimplements with a nice and clear discrimination of the variation incurves and the position of these curves will readily perceive myimprovement and clearly distinguish its, characteristic change from thefeatures of plows of this general character,

while this theoretic decision will be abundantly hand of the practicalagriculturist.

furrow-slice reaches the perpendicular, having been elevated from thehorizontal. This is an important feature in the construction of myimprovement. The plow up to this point is. a

wed ge. All other plows, while they deviate from profess to conform tothis important mechan ical principle. At the point last named, N,

Fig. 2, the second spiral curve commences and 1 is in its results andaction just the reverse of the one first named and described. Todescribe this feature in other words the first spiral curve raises thefurrow-slice from the horizon-f talto the perpendicular. It elevates thefurrow slice on its external and inferior angles, so that it makes thisangle a hinge or turning point. The action of the second spiral curvethence commences its action or performance of its function. It pressesthe furrow-slice upon what had been its external and superior angle,

and carries it over to an angle of forty-fivedegrees. From theback ofthe wing of the share both the share and the mold-board are easedaway onthe lower side, so that the furrowslice has a bearing upon themold-board throughout its whole extent of onlyabout three inches inwidth, all at the same time, and all equal at the same time, (thusreducing the friction to the lowest practical degree,). until thefurrow-slice arrives at the heel or terminus of the mold-board, when thepressure is divided over the'whole breadth".

My improved plow differs from the'plow patented by Jacob Bingham in theCanadian Patent Officein the year 1855 in the following importantparticular. The vworking-surface of a the mold-board'in the Binghamplowis divided into three grand sections of equal length from point toheel, each section causing the furrowslice to turn forty-five degrees.-These sec tioiis are again subdivided into five divisions each, uponwhich a transit-line is traced, this line corresponding with the uppermargin of the furrow-slice during its passage over the shareand'mold-board. The shape of this line viewed laterally would be that oftwo arcs in-' tersectin g each other at the rear end of the sec- 0ndsection, caused by the furrow-slice changa in g its hinge-corner to thatof another at this ferent, and the distinction is highly important, fand to which I beg to call especial attention.

In my improved plow I divide the mold-board into two grand divisions bya direct line from point to heel, commencing at the junction ofthe-share with the landside, and terminating at the heel of themold-board, (the line running upward and outward,) and the share andmold-board eased off above and below this line, so that the furrow-slicewill have a continual bearing upon itdurin g its passage over it, thuscausing this plow to act like a wedge.

In a work entitled Farm Implements, by John J. Thomas, at page'130, etsegm'tor, is a description and drawing of a plow, which is here referredto as an illustration of the characteristic principle of my improvement,and because. to those incapable of appreciating those finer differenceswhich show the skill of the inventor, and on which the perfect action ofsuch implements depends, might be overlooked and unappreciated'. Theline from point to heel in the plow above referred to is not drawn as inmine for the purposeof dividing the mold board into two grand sectionsand at right angles with the furrow-slice, but

for convenience of reference in illustration, and upon the viciousprinciple of bringing the pressure of the wedge at right angles with thestraight line, and not at right angles with the furrow-slice, as in myinvention. As to the general principle of the plow embodying myimprovement, a rapid inspection ofa drawing of the two mayconfound theirdistinctive characteristics, while to the discriminating eye of anexpertin this implement the difference is fully and palpably presented.

I am aware of a general resemblance of the contour or shape of a plowcalled Ransoms plow, as figured on a sale-card of agriculturalimplements. Jlhis resemblance of contour, however, appears only by arapid glance, and the analogy'disappears altogether when the characterof the curves and other lines of this plow are submitted to the analysisand critical examination of an expert.

I am also aware of. the claim of Moore and Mason in a withdrawnapplication for a patent for a plow in 1838; but it will be observedthat they claim as an improvement the turn of the mold-board which ismore full and convex toward the fore part, while mine is concave in onedirection and plane in the other.

' The difference between the plow described by Thomas and my improvedplow has been admitted by the Patent Office in the decision of theGommissioneradversetothegrantingofLetters Patent on my formerapplication, in which my improvement was not so fully and clearly setforth as is now presented. Moore adopts Thomas. suggestion, and gives aslight modification to the form of the wedge. This slight modification,in the words of the office, is one of the constituent features for whichpatents are granted. The issue of patentsis not based 011 the extent ofthe change which embody the inventive idea, but it is utilizing an ideaby the production of a plow which in its operations shows its value.

In the decision referred to it is stated that the applicant was remissinpointing out no advantage of the wedge. It is not necessary that anapplicant should prove the exact extent or degree of utility of hisimprovement. The question before the office is, has a change or a newmodification of a plow been presented 2 The word usefulasinterpretedbythe courts is: What is not frivolous. What is not noxiousto the public. Were it demanded of every applicant that the exact degreeof utility should bear on the granting of a patent, the duty of anexamination as provided by law would be avoided, and the practice of theOffice would become a mere filing of affidavits, because the extent ofthe utilitycould only be proved by long use in the hands of manypractical. agriculturists. It is admitted that a straight edge, which isflat on the face of the mold-board, will be at right angles to the lineof motion; and it is also admitted that the action of the wedge andscrew have been com-' bined. Nevertheless there is no plow to'be foundcombining the wedge with two spiral curves, which are placed so thattheir combined action is such asin the improved plow which 1 now presentfor the protection afiorded by the Government by the issue of a patentunder the provisions of the law in the case made and provided.

I also am aware that mathematical formula, or precise mechanicaltheories of the construction of the mold-board or other parts of theplow are not in themselves the subject of a patent. Descriptions of thischaracter are introduced into this specification by the requirement ofthe law, so that those skilled in the art may more readily perceive theconstruction of the plow which embodies my improvement.

My method of constructing a pattern for the share and mold board of myplow is as follows: Upon the plane, Fig. 1, consisting of a heavy planksome six feet long and two feet or so wide, I construct a solid mass ofwood, consisting of two-inch planks of the proper length and width,glued one upon another until 1 get the requisite height for amold-board, and in such a position as to nearly form the share andmold-board. From this structure I form my pattern in the followingmanner: Upon the plane above mentioned I draw a line, B H, parallel withthe landside of'the plow. Thedistance between this line and thelandsideto-correspond with the desired breadth of furrow. Parallel to this lineand still farther from the landside I draw another line, C D,

the distance between the two lines representing the desired depth of thefurrow. I then form a block of wood, (seen at Fig. 5,) representing atransverse section of the furrowslice, of such breadth and depth asalready laid out upon the plane. 1 then cut away the extreme terminus ofthe mold-board until this block will rest on one of its corners in theouter or last line drawn on the plane and lie in such a position as torepresent a furrow-slice properly deposited, with the original lowersurface of said block or furrow-slice pressing upon the mold-board atits last point of contact. This gives me'the "exact shape and positionof the acting surface of the mold-board at its heel or terminus. I thenworka direct line, PH, upon this mass of wood from the extreme point ofthe share, with the landside tothis heel or terminus. Then taking theblock of wood Z, Fig. 5, representing the furrow-slice, and placing iton the plane in front of the share, with one corner against the point ofthe 'share at the landside and the other touching the first line drawnon said plane, I cut away all obstacles until this furrow-slice has abearing all board are eased away on the lower side of line P B, so thatthe slice has a bearing upon the board of only about three inches, (thusreducing the friction,) until it arrives at the heel or terminus, whenthe board has a pressure upon it throughout its whole breadth. The innerside of the pattern is then cut away to the desired distance for acasting.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

A plow constructed and composed of the several characteristic featuresherein described.

Rochester, April 10, 1860.

GILBERT H. MOORE. L. s.]

Witnesses:

JOHN THoMPsoN, J r., SAML. S. PARTERIDGE.

From the back of the Wing of the share both the share and mold-

